Grate



J. S. ROAKE.

(No Model.)

GRATE.

No. 573,164. Patented Dee. l5, 1896.

Si? mi TH: ohms PETERS co.. r-HoTo-Lm-m.. wAsnmcwN. n. c.

.lOl-IN S.

PnfrinvrV FFICE ROAKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,164, dated December 15, 189.- Applieatiou filed January 30, 1894. Serial No. 498,431. (No model To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. ROAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, Kings county, in the State of NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grates, of which the following is a speciiication.

The improved grateA may serve for a great variety of purposes, but is more especially adapted for use in connection with steamboilers in the basements of dwellings or other buildings to generate steam for warming. It will be described as thus used without requiring skilful attendance and without receiving attention of any kind except at intervals.

The fuel is supported in a grate having a removable iiat central portion. I provide special means for supporting the central portion and for allowing its removal for repairs or renewal when required, and also special means for shaking such portion and dumping it. I surround the fiat portion by a stationary inverted conical rim, which is preferably grated.

The accompanying drawings forma part of this specication and represent what I consider the best means of carryin g out the invention.

Figure l is a general front elevation of a steam -generator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the upper portion of the same, the view being taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a corresponding section of the lower portion of the generator. Figs. 4 and 5 show certain portions on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a detail verticalsection taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 3; Fig, 5, a plan view of a portion of the tubular casting in which the grate-operating shaft is located.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is the base-casting, certain portions being designated, when necessary, by super- .n um erals.

B is the body or exterior shell of a cylindrical upright boiler having an internal furnace B and a series of tubes B3, connecting the crown-sheet of such furnace with the upper head B2. The top casting has a main dome-shaped body O with a liberal opening c/ on one side havinga coaniing O/ around it. Another passage c2 serves for the exit of the gases through a discharge C2. The aperture c is provided with a hinged cover D, which is operated automatically by a connection E to a da1nperregulator composed of the weighted lever F and operated by a diaphragm inclosed in the casing G and exposed -to the steam-pressure on the under side in the long-approved manner. The opposite arm of the lever F has a connection I-I, which leads to a hinged cover I, controlling the draft-aperture a, which supplies air to support the combustion.

The casting A is formed with an annular plate A', which receives the bottom of the body B, and with a lip A2 on the exterior and a higher lip or rim A3 on the inner edge` On the top of this inner lip or rim A3 rests a grate J, which is the frustum of a cone and con tributes to the support of the fuel and to the supply of air thereto through the apertures j thereof in the familiarform of open slots.

K is a flat dumping-grate of circular form, which when in use usually stands with its upper surface horizontal, being loosely inclosed in the bottom of the conical stationary grate J. This circular grate K has a central lug K on its under face, which receives the squared end of a short soeketed arm L', receiving a handlever L2, extending upward, by which the grate can be strongly rocked to quicken the fire or when required can be tilted to such a degree as todrop the material entirely into the bottoni of the ash pit or space within the casting A. The support of this grate K is formed by a tubular casting M, slightly tapered, inclosing the shaft L and forming a bearing therefor near the center of the strueture. A dovetail attachment M' at its outer end, cast integral therewith or otherwise rmly fixed to the tubular portion M, is received between correspondingly-inclined cleats A4, set a proper distance apart, east ou the under face of the annular portion A. The inner faces of these Vcleats are beveled so that they contract in a downward direction, as shown in Fig. 4, to efficiently support the IOC action.

casting M M. They also converge in a horizontal direction, their outer ends being nearest together, and -rthe. part M' is correspondingly shaped. The outer bearing of the shaft L is formed in a separate piece N, which is bolted on the exterior of the base-piece A in the position shown. Pis a bolt traversing a groove in the part M', extending outward through the casting A and the bearing-piece N, and receiving a nut I". In putting Jthe parts together the casting M M' is introduced through the passage a and engaged in the dovetail recess between the cleats A4. Then the bolt P is inserted and the nut I applied and tightened. The shaft L and its arm L may be introduced from the outer end, and the grate K being held in position receives the inner end of the shaft L, and it is secured by a transverse pin L3. The gravity of the heavy arm L' is liable to dump the grate when such is not desired.

T is a small forked yoke turning on a center-pin T. It may be turned down into the position shown in strong lines in Fig. 3 and caused to engage withthe lever L2 and hold it and the connected grate K stationary. Then it is turned up into the 4position shown in dotted lines, it leaves the hand-lever at liberty, and it may be turned at will.

The fire needs little attentionexcept to supply `the fuel, which may bedone in liberal quantities at long intervals through a rdoor Q.

lach change in position of the lever Fidue to variations in the pressure 'of the steam'will change the position-of both the covers D and I, a rise in the pressure causing the cover D to be further opened. The parts maybe so adjusted that under all ordinary conditions of working the cover D at the top will be allowed to rest tightly onits seat, and the cover I at the bottom will be held variably open.

In summer, when the yapparatus is out of use, the connections Eand II tothe lever F are unshipped, and the covers -D and lI are thrown wide open-and so held,allowing fthe' capacity it is casyto reach in witha brush and remove the whole of the loose material at short intervals.

The junction of the body B with the casting A may be tightened bysand W', which lies on the annular plate A'. The jointV between the-top C and the upper portion of the body is tightened by sand, similarly marked, applied in the space between two annular rims I-I' H2, formed in the casting R, fitted on the top of the body.

The moderate draft On raising the door D to its fullest Modifications may be made without departing from the principle o r sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

I attach importance to a stout arm constituted by a part of the casting M extending in ward to the center from one side. As shown, the central portion K of the grate is supported through the medium of the shaft L, this shaft being capable of turning in the casting M; but in cases where it is not required to shake or dump the grate through such means the support may be more direct. @ther means than the cleats A4 and dovetail M' may be employed for supporting the casting M. It is only essential that the arm shall be efficiently supported and shall reliably hold up the grate unobstructed at all points save those occupied by this simple arm.

It is not necessary to the success of the rocking portion 'of the grate K that there shall be a stationary/grate J around it. It is sufiicient that there'shall be an inclosing'part to restrain the escape of the fuel llaterally when the dumpingegrate K is in the horizontal position.

The aperture c should beopposite to the casting M and vafford facilities for the introduction A.and yremoval-ot` this important part of the apparatus. The movable portion K K' of the grate may befintroduced andremoved through this same aperture, or, preferably, through the ash-pit door, which must be made large enough for that purpose.

I do not in this patent claim the dome C, with its aperture c', coaming C around such aperture, and cover -D,arranged to perform the `two functions of 4aiding to regulate the draft and providing convenient 'access for cleaning the upper tube-sheet. I propose to vmake such the subject cfa separate application for patent.

I claim as my inventionl. Theshakingand dumpinggrate K, and a suitable stationary rim to enableit'to retain fuel and allow its moderate combustionV in combination with Ya suitable 'ash-pit andan arm lrigidly secured lat its outer end to the furnace base and extending beneath the dumping-grate, together with an operatingshaft parallel with and also supportedy by said arm and having'its inner end connected to the central port-ion of :the grate-at its under side, `substantially as hereinspecied.

2. The grate K adapted for rocking bodily as shown, asuitable stationary rim, and the tubular Agrate-support -M Vand means `as vthe dovetail M', cleats 'A4, 'embracing the latter, bolt P and nut P', connecting to the support M for holding and releasing it, in combination with each other and with the rocking shaft L, socket L' on such shaft, and handle L2 for rocking it, all arranged for joint loperation :substantially as hereinspecied.-

` suitable stationary rim, the grate-supportM,

having an outer `dovetailed .portion engaging cleats iixed in relation to the base portion, in

IOO

IIO

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Combination with each other and with the rocking shaft L, and its operating means, substantially as specified.

4. The shaking and dumping grate K and relatively stationary rim, of a grate-support M, having the outer dovetailed portion, a bolt P, looking clovetailed portion in engagement with cleats, and securing an outer bearingpieoe N, in combination with each other and with a rockin g shaft and its operating means, the shaft bearing both in said support and piece N, substantially as herein speeiiiecl.

5. The base-casting A having the horizontal portion forming a bearin g for the boilerbody, and provided with the inner lip or riin A3, supporting the stationary grate J, the

shaking and dumping grate K, the grate-support M beneath, and having its outer part secured on the under side of the horizontal portion of the base portion in combination With each other and with an operating-shaft supported by said support and having its inner end connected to the central portion of the grate, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afi-1X my signature in pres ence of twowvitnesses.

JOI-IN S. ROAKE. 

